Five months after his surgery, Dani Carvajal drops the news: “I would never have…”

On his recovery. Sidelined for five months, the Real Madrid defensive stalwart says he has taken a crucial step towards his return.

He is sorely missed at Real Madrid. Since his injury in La Liga during a duel against Villarreal (on 6 October 2024), Dani Carvajal has left the right side of the Madrid defence in the hands of Lucas Vazquez, who is not a specialist in the position. While his absence has recently been covered by Federico Valverde, who has been repositioned as a right-back in big matches, Daniel is still missed by Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. He is therefore being closely monitored in his recovery process, which is expected to be completed by the end of the season. This Wednesday, the Los Blancos club even released a video showcasing the behind-the-scenes work being done by the 33-year-old player.

“I’m back on the pitch with my boots on”

In this video, Carvajal is seen lacing up his boots once again. After suffering what is considered the worst injury for a footballer, the Leganés-born player confirms in the video released by Real Madrid that he is edging closer to a return to the first team. “Now that I’m back on the pitch with my boots on, you can see that I’m getting closer to returning. I would never have imagined feeling this way during such a light individual training session. One day less.”

This is a major announcement that will undoubtedly delight Madrid fans. With just a few months left until the end of the season, Dani Carvajal should avoid the ordeal faced by David Alaba, who took over a year to get back on the pitch. From the footage released by the Madrid club, it is clear that the Spanish full-back still has a long way to go, as he openly admitted that his injured knee is far from resembling his healthy one.

According to reports, the Madrid veteran is aiming to recover in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the USA right after the end of the European league seasons. Between June and July, when this highly anticipated tournament will take place, Real Madrid will need all their key players to compete with the other title contenders. With a significant financial prize at stake, fighting at full strength will be crucial, and having fresh players ready to give 100% will be a major blessing for Carlo Ancelotti.